Why Lamar Jackson-Ravens Drama Could Ultimately Become Patriots Problem

[crawhammer]

Sammy Watkins hopes Lamar Jackson "decides to play"

The decision of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson to suddenly disclose details about his knee injury on Thursday night wasn't spontaneous, accidental, or coincidental.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Could just be a poor choice of words but this quote from Sammy Watkins doesn't help the perception. And I already felt he was sandbagging since they won't give him a fully guaranteed contract.

To be fair I believe he did suffer an injury but I don't think it was or is as bad as he has made it out to be.

I think the injury scared him a bit and he decided to shut it down so he was guaranteed to be healthy for Free Agency. And this is where I think he is foolish for not having an agent. Because a good agent would explain to him, that it is highly unlikely a team would give a fully guaranteed contract to a QB that relies upon his legs as much his arm who has missed 11 games the past two seasons and counting.

I don't have a problem with Watkins' comments except when he mentions Lamar's contract situation.

If Lamar's sitting out at all, even 1%, because he wants to be healthy for free agency then he needs to force his way out of Baltimore. If they're not going to pay him what he wants then he needs to refuse to play under the franchise tag again.

 

[crawhammer]

He’s good. Maybe not elite. But good. So the best QB the Jets have literally ever had.

When healthy he's an elite football player. He made the Patriots defense look foolish. He had an incredible start to the season. He had tailed off but the team was still winning with him. Two season in a row their offense has gone completely in the toilet without him.

 

[203Pat]

Reportedly he's legitimately injured. He doesn't seem like the type of player who would quit on his teammates either. But he needs to get away from Baltimore... that situation has run its course.


Lamar Jackson would IMMEDIATELY make the Jets better than the Patriots. It would guarantee the Patriots no better than 3rd in the division. And Lamar is way better than that collection of stiffs you mention.

I mean we are basically third best in the division already and if the Jets even had mediocre quarterback play this year we would have been dead last. I like Lamar and think he can be a great player but something will go wrong if he goes to NY. He could sign with 30 other teams and I wouldn't think that but it is just something about the Jets that losing is who they are. They're a pathetic little brother in their own city playing in big brother's stadium. Maybe my blind hatred for the Jets is deluding me into thinking Lamar would fail there but I would think so until he proved it there.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

If that is the case (nothing indicates that), why would he put his health on the line when they refused to extend him and he is going into new contract negotiations? If he gets injured there is no chance he gets his contract.

If this is contract related, Ravens are only one to blame who failed to extend their very good young QB when every other franchise did just that.

They tried to extend him, he refused to sign.

From the article
Jackson reportedly turned down a long-term extension offer in September to bet on himself.

 

[ahmed]

They tried to extend him, he refused to sign.

From the article
Jackson reportedly turned down a long-term extension offer in September to bet on himself.

That's how contracts work. They have to both agree to it and the Ravens did not get him to agree.

They dragged it too long. A franchise should extend a rookie QB by year 3 or risk losing him.

 

[jays52]

Man, I hope the Jets do. Dump their roster-building capital. Give an utterly absurd dollar figure to an attribute-reliant QB who is healthy 60% of the time. We know how soon the wall comes to players like Jackson. They also have two players on rookie deals who will command the highest-value deals for their positions when their rookie deals expire. A third who looks to be another $20mil/yr. By all means, please, trade away your ability to stock cheap talent and give your entire salary cap to three players. I pray they do. Because I hate them.

 

[Ross12]

I'm just saying, Jackson plus Breece Hall would be a huge pain to defend.

 

[TFB=GOAT]

I'm just saying, Jackson plus Breece Hall would be a huge pain to defend.

Or Jackson plus tyreek plus waddle.. which I think is more likely personally.. I don’t like either options for my own sake

 

[Grogan14]

Mac and a first rounder for Lamar. Who says ni? A chane for Bill to correct picking Sony instead of LJ

 

[RobertWeathers]

Mac and a first rounder for Lamar. Who says ni? A chane for Bill to correct picking Sony instead of LJ

No.

 

[Drunken Cicerone]

If you’re going to pay him based on what he’s done he dwarves a boatload of money, but a guy with his skill set, where is he in four or five years? He’ll be toast

 

[Ross12]

Or Jackson plus tyreek plus waddle.. which I think is more likely personally.. I don’t like either options for my own sake

Fortunately for us, it doesn't matter if Jackson ends up in Miami or New Jersey because the coaches in both locations are garbage.

 

[Patsgofor4]

The Raven’s have an excellent front office. I’m sure that they will make the correct call.
Lamar is as dynamic as they come but he won’t always have the otherworldly elusiveness and acceleration that currently allows him to avoid big hits most of the time. I would be very nervous about offering him huge guaranteed money.

Let’s not also lose sight of Jackson’s playoff win total:

 

[IcyPatriot]

Lamar is a good something ... but not a traditional QB ... not even close.
He has a few good years left in him .. maybe 4 ... but will not take a team to the promised land the Jete so desire,

 

[ctpatsfan77]

No.

He asked "Who says ni?"

 

[Joker]

all you Lamary lovers need to go full blown lemming and find a damned cliff....krist almighty...here you goons, here's a quote from a Ravens nitwit with his head so far up Lamary's azz he's got cornpone and grits all over his stupid azzed face...

“They try to criticize him, and then they also compare him to the greats,” cornerback Marcus Peters said. “ Just watch the young man grow, watch the young man continue to lead this team. How he holds and carries himself in a day-to-day manner, it’s out of this world.”
yeah, blowing off the rest of the season because you want to make as much bank as possible, screwing the team you're on in the process is "out of this world!!!!!~" WTF kind of drugs are you brainwashed sycophants on anyway? "I have Lamar ranked 5th best in the league!!!!"...he HASN'T played and WILL NOT PLAY this season. he has NO RANK you utter clown.

 

[JMC00]

and if the Jets even had mediocre quarterback play this year we would have been dead last.

I can play that game too, if Pats had a competent OC they'd have been 2nd by 3-4 games.

not to mention if refs made proper calls
-Henry's TD wrongly overruled-
-Raiders WR being clearly out of bounds
-Stevenson's forward progress clearly stopped before the ball was punched out (literally had the same thing go against them a week later when refs called the Dolphins RB progress stopped when he fumbled)
-Let's not even talk about how hosed they got by refs in Buffalo (massive holds on the 2 TD returns, not calling blatant DPI in the end zone, calling Henry for OPI that was just him running his route)

That's 3 wins turned into losses at the hands of blatantly bad ref calls

8-9 should have been 11-6, maybe even 12-5

 

[turkeyneck]

Mac and a first rounder for Lamar. Who says ni? A chane for Bill to correct picking Sony instead of LJ

Thanks. I just wasted an hour watching Monty Python clips.

 

[Triumph]

Yeah it will suck to face him one game every two years.

Assuming Jackson isnt hurt. Again.

Jackson is getting injured more frequently and the injuries are more severe. Sooner or later the big one is coming that will spell the end of his career. Pro Running backs and running QBs have a short shelf life in the NFL.

 

[PP2]

Thanks. I just wasted an hour watching Monty Python clips.

A favorite of mine: